Compost giveaway begins on Monday

Ziva Calder (4) and mother Doreen from Geo filling their pickup.

Get your shovels ready! Halton Region Spring Compost Giveaway starts May 5 and goes until Saturday, May 10. Held at the Halton Waste Management Site (HWMS) at 5400 Regional Road 25 in Milton, the annual event will run daily from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

“Halton residents are diverting 60 per cent of single-family household waste by participating in Blue Box, GreenCart, reuse, household hazardous waste and yard waste programs,” said Regional Chair Gary Carr. “In 2013, Halton collected approximately 34,000 tonnes of yard waste – leaves, garden trimmings and brush – that has now been transformed into high-quality, garden-ready compost. I invite residents to visit the landfill to pick up free compost for their gardens and landscaping projects.”

During last year’s Compost Giveaway events, 5,100 residents visited the HWMS and picked up approximately 2,000 tonnes of compost.

Residents attending this year’s event are once again encouraged to bring a cash donation or non-perishable food item. In 2013, Halton residents generously donated 6,000 kilograms of food and $10,158 for local food banks.

Residents are responsible for shoveling and bagging their own compost and are reminded to bring their own shovels, bags or reusable containers (maximum seven per household). For best growing results, compost should be mixed with topsoil or another gardening fill, with a ratio of 60% topsoil and 40% compost.

“Halton’s waste management practices, including our yard waste program, both protect the environment and make good financial sense,” added Carr. “Our landfill site was originally scheduled to close in 2012. Thanks to the waste diversion efforts of Halton residents, the landfill life has been extended to the year 2044, saving taxpayers the estimated $1 billion cost of a replacement site.”

For more information about the Spring Compost Giveaway, dial 311 or visit Halton.ca/compost. Follow Halton Waste Management on Twitter @HaltonRecycles, #HaltonCompost and visit the blog at Haltonrecycles.ca